A HUMBLE START

When Kellie Jackstien was a student at the University of Utah, she paid her way through school by working several part-time jobs, one of which was designing arrangements in a local floral shop. "I liked flowers and loved design and the floral shop was a creative environment for me - I gravitated towards it" she says.

After graduating from the University of Utah with Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Kellie was faced with choosing whether or not to pursue graduate school or follow her budding interest in design. Choosing to pursue her passion for both flowers and design, Kellie applied for a business license, opening Artisan Bloom in October 2000.

It wasn't an easy start. "I began with nothing. No capital, no investors, no staff, no formal office space and no real leads. Nine months after opening Artisan Bloom, the country was devastated by 9/11. While we were navigating through this new fear of 'terror alerts' and 'travel advisories' the travel and tourism industry took a tremendous hit. For a company whose primary market was destination weddings and corporate events, that uphill climb became even more challenging" says Jackstien. "However, through hard work, persistence, and an amazing network of coordinators and venues who believed in the brand, Artisan Bloom not only survived, but has thrived.